Air circulation system for kitchen unit



May 17, 1955 G. L, c. EARLE 2,708,350

AIR CIRCULATION SYSTEM FCR KITCHEN UNIT Filed Dec. 4, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Gara/v L. CE2/LE YBY l.

Arro/vfy May 17, 1955 G. 1 c. EARLE AIR CIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR KITCHENUNIT v Filed nec. 4, 19,51

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Unite States i V`Yarent face AKR CRCULATIN SYSTEM FOP.KITCHEN UNET Guyon L. C. Earle, New York, N. Y.

Application December 4, 195i, Serial No. 259,336

9 Claims. (Cl. 62--117.4)

This invention relates to driers and more specifically to article driersforming one or more parts of a kitchen unit assembly.

in a prior patent of the present inventor, 2,539,613 issued January 30,1951, there is disclosed an assembly including a kitchen unit of theset-back or L-shaped type. This unit has a lower portion including thelower parts of a refrigerator and of a stove, a towel drier and a sink,an intermediate portion including the upper parts of the stove andrefrigerator and a dish drier, and an upper portion comprising cabinets.A long table-top member is located on top of the lower portion and infront of the intermediate portion of the kitchen unit. The liquefyingapparatus for the refrigerator is placed in a cabinet above therefrigerator and warm air there from is vented out the back. A clothesdrier is positioned behind the unit and receives the warm air from the1ique fying equipment. The present invention, in one of its primaryaspects, relates to improved arrangements for driers forming one or moreelements of a kitchen unit assembly which may include a clothes drier.

lt is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improveddrier arrangement in a kitchen unit assembly including a refrigerator ofthe set-back or L- shaped type.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a kitchen unitassembly employing a refrigerator of the set-back or L-shaped type inwhich the liquefying portion of the refrigerating unit is placed on topof the upper set-back intermediate portion of the kitchen unit under astepped shelf in the upper portion thereof and the fan of the liqueiieris utilized to provide a novel air circulation in and among variouselements of the kitchen unit assembly.

Other objects and features will be apparent as the description proceeds.

These objects are attained in accordance with the invention byproviding, by way of example, a kitchen unit assembly having as animportant element thereof a refrigerator of the l. -shaped or set-backtype comprising a large insulated base cabinet adapted to berefrigerated either by a cooling means placed in the cabinet or bycirculation from an evaporator located in the upper, set-back portion ofthe refrigerator which is provided with shelves and ice cube trays. Theliqueiier of the refrigerating unit, which is preferably of the sealedtype, is placed on top of the upper set-back portion under a steppedshelf. The liquelier comprises a fan, a condenser and a compressor. Thefan of thev refrigerating unit is placed to suck air through `an openingin the front of the upper cabinet space above the upper set-back portionof the refrigerator in such a position that it is behind the door of theupper cabinet. The fan draws the air through the condenser and thenforces it over the heated compressor, cooling the condenser andcompressor and at the same time warming the air. This warmed air mayhave any one or more of a variety of outlets from the upper cabinet. Oneof the main ones is at the side of this cabinet into a dish dryingcompartment adjacent the upper set back portion of the refrigerator andthence into a towel drying compartment under the dish drier. lvoreover,by means of a duct, warmed air is conveyed either to the side or rear ofthe lower portion of the refrigerator to dry water of defrostingtherefrom collected in a dish or other container. Furthermore, warmedair is caused to flow out one or more openings in the top of the unitand may also pass into a clothes drier compartment at the rear of thekitchen unit.

The invention will be more readily understood by referring to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a kitchen unit assembly in accordancewith the invention, comprising a kitchen .unit including a set-backrefrigerator having a liqueer positioned to set up a novel aircirculation within the kitchen unit and through a clothes drier at therear thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side View, with portions broken away and others incross-section, of the assembly of Fig. 1 taken from the right;

Fig. 3 is a front view, with portions broken away and others incross-section, of the arrangement of Fig. 1, this view showing an airduct leading to the lower portion of a cabinet to the left of therefrigerator;

Fig. 4 is a front view, with portions broken away and others incross-section, of a modification of the arrangement or" Fig. 3, thisview showing a duct leading to the clothes drier at the rear of theunit.

Fig'. 5 is a sectional view, iooking from the left, of the assembly orFigs. l and 3 through the dish drier and towel drying compartments;

Fig. 6 is an irregular section taken in planes through lines t-- of Fig.7; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view, with portions broken away and others incross-section of a portion of the assembly of Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, Fig. l shows, by way ofexample and in perspective, an assembly itl in accordance with theinvention comprising a kitchen unit il and a clothes drier l2, the unitl1 including an shaped refrigerator 13 which has its liquefier 46positioned and adapted to cause a novel air circulation in the assemblylo. The back le of the kitchen unit 11 is positioned adjacent the sidewall l5 of the drier. The kitchen unit il is of the l.shaped or set-backtype, that is, one in which the front plane of the intermediate portionlo thereof is placed to the rear (or set-back from) the front planes ofthe upper portion 17 and of the lower portion l of the unit. The lowerportion 18 comprises the lower part i9 of a set-back refrigerator, sink25?, a towel drying compartment 2l and the lower portion 22 of aset-back stove. The intermediate portion 16 comprises the upper portion23 of the refrigerator, a dish drying compartment 24 and the upperportion 2S of the stove. The upper portion i7 of the unit comprisesshelved cabinets A table-top member 27 having cutout portions for thesink and for the burners 23 of the stove is placed above the lowerportion l and in front of the intermediate portion lo. The whole unit ilpreferabiy rests on a recessed base 2%. A complete kitchen unit of thetype briefly described above is disclosed in 2,349,541 issued May 23,1944 to the present inventor. For convenience 'n shipping andinstallation, the upper portion 17 of the unit 1l is not fastened to theintermediate portion but is supported from the side wall .l5 or from thedrier i2.

Behind the unit li is a space occupied by the clothes drier 12. Thiscomprises (see also Fig. 2) a compartment formed by the side member 15(preferably having height and length equal to those of the kitchen unit1l Vthe cabinet 26 and that of the cabinet 23.

and which may be attached to the back 14 of this unit) a similar sidemember 30, the oor or a bottom member 31, top member or ceiling 32 andend walls 33, the one shown in Fig. 1 being sliding.- The side membersand 30 can be of heat insulating and hre-proofing material andpreferably are of sound-deadening material as well. They have holesprecut to accommodate the various pipes and conduits for the unit 11.They are braced by means of suitable braces and trusses (not shown).Supported from the right hand end member 33 are variousclothes-supporting members (not shown infthis application but shown inEarle application Serial No. 652,545 now abandoned). The side wall 15 ofthe clothes drier has one or more openings or windows 36 thereinopposite corresponding openings 37 in the back wall 38 of the upperportion of the refrigerator section of the kitchen unit 11 or in theback wall 39 of the towel drying compartment 21 for purposes which willbe described below.

Referring now to the refrigerator 13 for a more deremovable and itsupports either entirely or partially the f evaporator (not shown but itis within cabinet 23) and also the liquefying apparatus 46 or a portionthereof (in the upper cabinet 26 of the refrigerator section). Theapparatus 46 comprises a compressor 47, a fan 48 and a condenser 49. Thecondenser 49 is adjacent an opening 64 for the inlet of air into theupper cabinet 26. This opening is preferably located behind the frontwall of It may extend the whole width of the cabinet 23 0r it may bemuch shorter. As shown in the drawing the inlet opening is to the rightof the partition member 65 which is adjacent the condenser 49 and isgenerally vertical and at a right angle to the front of the kitchen unit11. This partition member extends up to the underside of a set ofstepped shelves 50 and serves to prevent recirculation of air in theupper cabinet 26. The air (at room temperature) Ycoming into the opening64 is directed by the riser 52 for the rst step shelf 51 and by thisshelf 51 to the right side of the condenser 49. It is sucked through thecondenser by the fan 48 and is directed over the compressoi 47 where itcools the latter and by heat exchange action becomes warmed by it.

The warmed air is directed by the force of the fan in severalpredetermined directions. A portion is conducted upwardly through anopening 66 in a horizontal shield 67 over the compressor and thencethrough opening 37 in wall 38 and opening 36 in wall 15 into drier 12 atthe rear of the kitchen unit to cause an air circulation therein and/orthroughk an opening 71 at the top of cabinet 26. Warmed air can leavethe drier 12 through a ue 73 at the top.

Still another portion is directed downwardly from the fan, Some may passout through an opening behind the front door of the cabinet 26 to theright of the partition 65 but a large part of this air is directed outthe lower left side of the cabinet 26V above the cabinet 23 through anopening 69 and is directed downwardly by means of angularly-placeddeector 70 into the dish-drier cabinet 24 and thence down into thetowel-drying compartment 21. A portion of this air is drawn into duct 68having an upper opening just under the deflector 70 and a lower openingjust overa dish or other container 63 adapted to catch the water ofdefrosting from the refrigerator evaporator. Merely `by way of example,reference is made to a companion application of the present inventor,Ser. No. 288,293, filed May 16, l952, now abandoned, which shows one wayof getting defrost waterout of a refrigerator. The container 63 may beat the side of the refrigerator (see Fig. 3) or at the rear thereof (seeFig. 4) behind wall 39. This forced air circulation into the 4 container63 causes the water of defrosting to evaporate very rapidly. i

When the fan is offf the air passages enumerated above make it possibleto conduct the heat from the compressor away therefrom by permitting agentle upward tiow of air out the top of the unit. The oif cycle shouldlast about three times as long as the on cycle.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides a very eihcientair circulation system for a kitchen unit assembly of the type describedherein. It is obvious, however, that various changes can be made in theembodiment described without departing from the spirit of the invention,as indicated in the claims.

What is claimed is: f

l. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator .cabinetpositionedk above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an uppercabinet above said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for saidrefrigerator in said upper cabinet, said liqueiier including acondenser, a compressor and a fan, means defining an opening in saidupper cabinet adjacent said liqueer for admitting air into said uppercabinet, and means for directing air after it has been warmed by contactwith said compressor both upwardly through an upper opening in saidupper cabinet and downwardly through a lower opening in said uppercabinet.

2. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for said refrigerator insaid upper cabinet, said liqueer including a condenser, a compressor anda fan, means defining an opening in said upper cabinet adjacent saidliquefier for admitting air into said upper cabinet, means for directingair after it has been warmed by contact with said compressor both upwardthrough an upper openingin said upper cabinet and downwardly through alower opening in said upper cabinet, and duct means outside saidrefrigerator for conveying warmed air to a spot near the base thereof toevaporate water of defrosting therefrom.

3. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit cornprising alower'refrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, aliqueer unit for said refrigerator insaid upper cabinet, said li'quef'ler including a condenser,V

a compressor and a fan, means defining an opening in said upper cabinetadjacent said liqueiierfor admitting air into said upper cabinet, andmeans for directing air after it has been vwarmed by contact with `saidcompressor both upwardly through an upper opening in said upper cabinetand downwardly through a lower opening in said upper cabinet, saidlast-mentioned means including a deflector outside said upper cabinetfor directing a portion of the air downwardly.

4. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for said refrigerator insaid upper cabinet, said liquefier including a condenser', a compressorand a fan, means defining an opening in siad upper cabinet adjacent saidliqueer for admitting m'r into said upper cabinet, and means fordirecting air 5. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit corn-`prising a lower refrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setbackrefrigerator cabinet positioned above and to the rear of said lowercabinet, an upper cabinet above said intermediate cabinet, a liqueerunit for said refrigerator in said upper cabinet, said liqueer includinga condenser, a compressor and a fan, means defining an opening in saidupper cabinet adjacent said liqueer for admitting air into said uppercabinet, and means for directing air after it has been warmed by contactwith said compressor both upwardly through an upper opening in saidupper cabinet and downwardly throughY a lower opening in said uppercabinet, said last-mentioned means including a deector outside saidupper cabinet for directing a portion of the air downwardly through acabinet positioned at the side of said intermediate set-backrefrigerator and thence into a second cabinet under the first cabinet.

6. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueiier unit for said refrigeratorin said upper cabinet, said liqueiier including a condenser, acompressor and a fan, means defining an opening in said upper cabinetadiacent said liquefier for ade mitting air into said upper cabinet, andmeans for directing air after it has been warmed by contact with saidcompressor both upwardly through an upper opening in said upper cabinetand downwardly through a lower opening in said upper cabinet, saidliqueiier being placed under a set of stepped shelves in said uppercabinet and said means for directing the air downwardly including a ductmember.

7. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate set-back refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for said regfrigeratorin said upper cabinet, said liqueiier including a condenser, acompressor and a fan, means deiining an opening in said upper cabinetadjacent said liquefier for admitting air into said upper cabinet, andmeans for directing air after it has been warmed by Contact with saidcompressor both upwardly through an upper opening in said upper cabinetand downwardly through a lower opening in said upper cabinet, saidliqueer being placed under a set of stepped shelves in said uppercabinet, the space under said shelves being generally separated into twoportions by a partition in a plane generally perpendicular to the frontof said refrigerator to prevent recirculation of air in said space.

8. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setback refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for said refrigerator insaid upper cabinet, said liqueiier including a condenser, a compressorand a fan, means defining an opening in said upper cabinet adjacent saidliqueer for admitting air into said upper cabinet, and means fordirecting air after it has been warmed by contact with said cornpressorboth upwardly through an upper opening in said upper cabinet anddownwardly through a lower opening in said upper cabinet, said liqueiierbeing placed under a set of stepped shelves in said upper cabinet, thespace under said shelves being generally separated into two portions bya partition in a plane generally perpendicular to the iront of saidrefrigerator to prevent recirculation of air in said space and having anapertured horizontal shield member therein above said compressor.

9. A mechanical refrigerator and cabinet unit comprising a lowerrefrigerator cabinet, an intermediate setbaci; refrigerator cabinetpositioned above and to the rear of said lower cabinet, an upper cabinetabove said intermediate cabinet, a liqueer unit for said refrigerator insaid upper cabinet, said liqueer including a condenser, a compressor anda fan, means defining an opening in said upper cabinet adjacent saidliqueer for admitting air into said upper cabinet, and means fordirecting air after it has been warmed by contact with said compressorboth upwardly through an upper opening in said upper cabinet anddownwardly through a lower opening in said upper cabinet, at least oneof said openings leading to a drier cabinet at the rear of saidrefrigerator and said means for directing the air downwardly including aduct member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS

